The Duke Hangover…Is It Real?

Every time Duke steps on the floor, the Blue Devils get their opponent’s best shot. For many teams, playing Duke is the biggest game of the year…their Super Bowl.

It would be understandable for there to be a let down in the next game for those teams that do manage to defeat Duke. By many, this has been referred to as “The Duke Hangover.”

Whether it’s the emotion of beating the Blue Devils in front of a euphoric home crowd, or pulling off the challenging task of winning in Cameron Indoor Stadium, it can be difficult to maintain focus for the following game.

But does a hangover actually exist?

Going back to the 2001-02 season, let’s take a look at who has beaten Duke and how they fared in their next game. You can see every game in the table below.

Since the 2001-02 season, Duke has lost 104 times (including ACC & NCAA Tournament). In the opponent’s next game, they have won 63 games, while losing 42 times. ACC teams in that time frame have accounted for 44 wins and 35 losses.

Since the National Championship season in 2009-10, Duke has lost 53 times (including ACC & NCAA Tournament). In the opponent’s next game, they have won 27 games, while losing 27. ACC teams in that time frame have accounted for 19 wins and 21 losses.

The numbers suggest that, while beating Duke doesn’t guarantee a team will lose its next game, there is a good chance it will.